carpet with his arms hooked around his knees. “You underestimated me.”
I stare at him for a long moment, my mouth open in disbelief. “When you said I’d owe you, I assumed you meant you wanted a blowjob! I didn’t think you’d be callous enough to inflict this kind of torture on me.” I jab my finger accusingly at the DVD on the floor.
Web looks at me, his expression one of complete bafflement. “Why did you think I wanted a blowjob?”
I throw my hands in the air. “You said You owe me and sent a winky face! Everyone knows that means blowjob.”
His eyes widen in genuine shock. “They do?”
Oh my god, he’s adorable.
Wait. What? I shake my head sharply to get that thought out of my mind. Webster Goode is my worst enemy. He is not adorable.
Yeah, just keep telling yourself that, Jesse.
With a wry smile, I scoop the DVD up off the floor and stride toward the ancient DVD player still set up in the corner of my old room. “Don’t worry about it. Come on, let’s watch some Buffy.”
I set up the DVD and select the first episode before moving back to sprawl on my bed, remote in hand. “You realize the whole series is on Hulu, right? I could just watch the early David Boreanaz ones instead of subjecting myself to this.”
“Do you have Hulu on that TV?” Web asks, sparing a skeptical glance for my old flat screen, which most definitely does not have the capability for holding streaming apps.
“Okay. Fair. How did you know I still had a DVD player, anyway?”
Web shrugs. “I remember Zack saying your mom hadn’t changed anything in either of your rooms since high school.”
“Huh.” I consider him for a brief moment, his large body bunched up on the bedroom floor as he waits for me to start the episode, before finally saying, “You don’t have to stay down there. There’s plenty of room on the bed.”
It’s impossible to miss the look of surprise on Web’s face, and considering the way I bolted after the last time we were in bed together, I guess it’s totally understandable.
Honestly, this whole situation is confusing as hell. I’d be just flat out lying if I tried to say I wasn’t attracted to him; the pang of disappointment I felt when I realized he hadn’t been flirting today has made that all too clear.
But there’s something else as well. It’s this strange pull that I’ve been adamantly ignoring over the past seventeen years; I could have sworn I’d cut that string the day he ripped my heart out. Evidently, that’s not the case.
I move farther over so there’s more space beside me and hold out the remote, pressing play on the DVD. After a long moment of hesitation, Web rises to his feet and comes over to the bed, stretching out beside me.
Just like old times.
14
From the private Facebook group ‘Finchley Locals Community Hangout’
* * *
Post by Raymond ‘Sheriff’ Taylor: Locals should be on the lookout for suspicious activity. Missy Clarke has reported seeing a prowler near Gloria Cartwright’s house tonight
Missy Clarke reply to Raymond ’Sheriff’ Taylor’s post: Not just “near” Sheriff! I saw someone sneak around the house and climb up the side using the trellis!
Gloria Cartwright reply to Missy Clarke’s comment: How did you see that? The trellis isn’t visible from the street
* * *
Web
* * *
My eyes are still stinging a little from the pepper spray, but it’s not too bad. And I only have myself to blame, really; I should have warned Jesse I’d be coming over. Or, maybe, you know, used the front door. Just because I want to get things back to the way they used to be before I screwed everything up doesn’t mean Jesse does.
But he did accept the payback in the way of Spuffy, and we are sitting on his bed together right now, watching Buffy’s friends try to cope without her at the start of season six. The nostalgia is strong with this one, alright.
“So, I talked with Chance,” I murmur, my eyes glued to the screen. I can’t bring myself to look at Jesse for this; I can’t imagine he’ll take the news well.
“And?”
I draw in a steadying breath before admitting, “It has to be a divorce. And it’s going to take six months.”
“What?” He reaches out with the remote to pause the DVD, and I find that, despite my best attempts, I can’t ignore the horrified expression on his face. “How is that even